


Life

by ohmiyaskdesu



Series: One-Shots [2]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Arashi - Freeform, F/M, Friendship, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 06:03:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3436196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmiyaskdesu/pseuds/ohmiyaskdesu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The five men barely knew each other, but one fateful night brought them all together in a small, unkown bar in Tokyo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life

0.  
  
The clock's second hand ticked past every small marks on its face until it created a full minute, but for a second the world paused. The sound of screaming, coughing, yawning, laughter, breathing, and heartbeats ceased altogether like a short beat in a song. The rapid flutter of a hummingbird's wings, and a cheetah's racing heart as it sped after its unfortunate prey paused as if they were captured in a still photo. But as he took a step towards the worn asphalt floor, the world continued to revolve as if it never stopped. He sighed as he walked inside the only bar that seemed to be open past midnight.  
  
It was quiet and peaceful when he entered, but was greeted by the strong scent of tobacco and cigars making its way through his nostrils. The stench reminded him of his uncle, the disgraced man in his family who did nothing but bring misery to anyone in his way. After he's almost ruined his family because of unsettled debts, he came to hate that smell the most. He wanted to get rid of the smell, but it's not like he could tell the smoker to trash his cigarette away. Instead, he swatted the smell away and took the nearest seat at the bar by the back door.  
  
"Whiskey," he said before the bartender had the chance to ask him what he wanted.  
  
He sat back as he waited for his drink and took a good look around him. The bar was a nice small place more fit for celebrities if they wanted to go somewhere private, yet it was simple and elegant.The wall was coated of dull gold and the ceiling was the color of pure white; it made a good contrast with the serene atmosphere that the midnight created. He spotted a piano at the corner, but it stood quietly under the dim yellow lights. He had the urge to play a quick song, but he just began to learn what piano notes are. In the middle of the room were tall standing tables, but it was all currently unoccupied like the rest of the seats at the bar.  
  
At first he thought he was the only one alone besides the bartender. Turns out there was a man, sitting at the corner table with countless beer bottles on top and under the table. The poor man looked drunk, tired, and lifeless as he drank a whole bottle of alcohol. He's seen those types of men before, who drank themselves to death because nothing in their life was going the way they wanted or planned. He shook his head out of pity and wondered just how many men came to this very same bar, drinking their souls out every night. If only he could do something about it, but a stranger interfering would just ruin it.  
  
The sound of a woman giggling caught his attention and he saw a couple flirting with each other at another corner seat near the piano. The woman was dressed in flashy clothing and he assumed that she had just gotten out of a club. The man, on the other hand, had a smirk on his thin face and a glint of mischief in his eyes. He shuddered, feeling sympathy for the woman, but disgust towards the man. He despised men to takes women's, even men's, feelings for granted and using it for their own pleasure. Those men, even more worse ones, are the scum in Earth.  
  
"Sir, your whiskey," a breathy voice behind him announced and he turned around. He hadn't seen the bartender earlier because he was too busy keeping up with his surrounding. The bartender had a happy smile on his face and he couldn't tell if he was faking it or not, but he looked genuinely happy about everything. "Is there something bothering you, sir?" The bartender asked, his happy smile widening.  
  
He shrugged. Now that he thought about it, there wasn't anything bothering him. Work was fine even with the work load of paper work, he had a happy family under a cozy house, and his life seemed to be in track. "Nothing," he hummed as he grabbed the glass of whiskey and took a sip. "Nothing at all."  
  
"Oh, I see. Well--"  
  
"Make sure to clean up after your mess, Masaki."  
  
He glanced behind the bartender and saw a handsome young man whose head was in between a set of chocolate colored curtains. He gave the bartender an angry glare, but he could see that there was nothing but forgiveness and love in the man's eyes; he wondered if they were a couple.  
  
"Sorry," the bartender mumbled and pulled the white rag from his pants pocket. "I'll try not to mess up next time. Oh, and I'll get back to you later," the bartender quickly smiled before proceeding to clean whatever mess he made.  
  
He had all the time to wait for a lending ear so he sat back and took his time in drinking the glass of whiskey.  
  
1.  
  
They were happy before and after they met each other, had a one night stand, declared their intimate feelings, finally got married, and had two healthy and happy twins. They thought that they would live a happy and loving life under one roof; they thought that after their stupid arguments, everything would be fine; they thought that they could forgive each other even if they'd done something that interfered with their commitment. But those were just wasted thoughts they thought of each other, and their bag of happiness had a huge hole underneath.  
  
Night from night, they tried to show their love for each other through sex, but they were bored of each other as they made love, although they didn't freely admit it. But there were those other nights their growing children would worsen, and they were getting tired of each other. As the man of the house, he did nothing, saying over and over again that this was not what he signed up for, while his wife and two children turned their backs on each other. They weren't a family at all. They were complete strangers to each other who only knew each other by names. Heck, he's forgotten his childrens' birthday and his and his wife's anniversary. Not that it mattered anyway.  
  
As soon as everyone seemed asleep, he sneaked out of his own house -- his own house, for Christ's sake.  _Ridiculous_ , he thought bitterly and walked casually on the wooden floor. The loud creaking of the floor would have woken up his wife, but even if it did she wouldn't do anything other than pretend to stay asleep. He scoffed out loud and kicked the bed, before grabbing his dark leather jacket fit for the autumn night sky...  
  
He kicked a lonely stone along with him as he walked the lone streets. He looked up from the stone when he heard voices coming his way, but when he looked up there was no one but the silent breeze pushing a green leaf across the streets. What did he expect, a group of people casually walking past bedtime? How stupid he must be -- must have been for marrying into whatever he thought was the road to happiness. Now look where it got him: walking the streets out at night, desperate for a change in his stupid life. He resumed kicking the rock and ignored it pleading him to stop until it hit a wall. He looked up and saw a huge sign with a word in fancy lettering. He was never good in school so he didn't know what it was so he assumed that it must be something foreign. It was odd how he never noticed this building before in the morning since it's near their house, but probably it's because he always spent every night trying to sleep off his problems.  
  
It was obviously a bar when he saw a drunken man come out through the black doors. Without giving it a second thought, he entered and was greeted by the strong smell of alcohol, cigar and cigarette smoke. He coughed audibly and heads turned towards him, but they only glanced for a second as if he was like any other man. It was packed and there were barely any women around; he began to wonder if he entered a gay bar...  
  
"What may I get you, sir?"  
  
He spun around, startled, and saw a bartender smiling widely at him. When did he take a seat? "An asahi," he muttered quietly. It was the only drink he knew since he rarely came to bars.  
  
"Coming right up," the man grinned widely and disappeared through a set of chocolate colored curtains.  
  
0.  
  
"No, I'm the great Ohno Satoshi..." the drunken man slurred for the hundredth time as his head lolled to the side of the table. "You listen to me..."  
  
He shook his head as he watched the poor man. However, he's heard that name somewhere before.  
  
1.  
  
"Aren't you that famous painter?" The bartender asked rather loudly and enthusiastically, causing a few round of heads to turn their way.  
  
"Was," Ohno shrugged casually, taking a sip from his second beer bottle.  
  
The bartender pouted. "What happened?"  
  
"Life," he muttered, and drank the whole bottle in one gulp.  
  
0.  
  
Now he remembered that name. Back when he was just ten years old, his parents always took him to art galleries and they mostly visited the ones that had featured Ohno Satoshi. He's always admired the man's painting. "Isn't he an artist? I've visited his galleries before when I was a kid."  
  
"Yeah, he was," the bartender sighed, the smile on his face turning into a sympathetic smile.  
  
2.  
  
"Mom, dad..." He took a deep inhale of air before releasing it with a long sigh. Honestly, he was scared even when Masaki had encouraged him that everything would turn out all right if he told his parents. But he knew what his parents were like: so lenient and uncaring of his own choices.  
  
"Well, what is it?" His father asked him sternly, the lines on his forehead creasing from impatience.  
  
It was now or never. He looked down as he opened his mouth to speak "...I'm gay." He dared not to look up from the spotless kitchen floor. Before his father was promoted to manager of their firm, he remembered seeing his mother cleaning the floors of their house like there was no tomorrow. But now, they could afford a maid and his mother was pampered by her husband.  
  
He glanced up from the floor when he realized how quiet the dining room became. It was like that time, before, when he told his parents that he wanted to go to a public high school and not a private high school. They said that his education is more important and that he needed it for his future career, but all he wanted was to go to school with his best friend; he didn't even know what he wanted to do after high school anyways.  
  
He saw the look on his parent's faces: their lips were turned into a frown and their eyebrows creased slightly. He could tell that they were disgusted by him and it was as if they were hearing it from someone else's mouth.  
  
"No, you're confused," said his father, the disgust and disappointment obvious in his voice.  
  
"B-but I'm not," he stuttered weakly and slipped his hands in his pockets. When his right hand reached the bottom, he felt a warm object. He smiled, remembering how Masaki went through so many things with the item after concluding that it was a good luck charm. His friend's words rang through his head and he couldn't help but smile wider: "Hold on to this and you'll be in good luck."  
  
"Wipe that smile off!" His father growled, his palm coming down on the dining table. "It's that Aiba boy, isn't it?"  
  
"What? No... Masaki didn't do anything wrong."  
  
His father scoffed. "Even addressing each other by first names now. Jun, we'll find you someone better than that stupid boy."  
  
"He's not stupid!" Jun shrieked angrily. He couldn't believe how cocky his father was getting with his words, especially over Masaki who he knew since they were in diapers. "I... he... he's important to me, okay!"  
  
"Important!" Their father scoffed loudly and sarcastically as if he was mocking him. "You should have gone to that private school... From now on, you are not to see that boy."  
  
"But-- Mom..."  
  
"I agree with your father," she said carefully as if she planned on it already.  
  
"I--"  
  
"We don't want to hear more of this," his father snarled, "go to your--"  
  
"No, you know what? I'm sick and tired of the both of you. You can't even listen to what I want to say, or want. I bet you don't even know I am part of the school play when I've told you how many times before. You are selfish parents that--"  
  
Jun fell to the floor with a loud thud as it was too fast for him to notice what happened. However, his face throbbed with pain and he could feel his blood trickling down his chin from his bottom lip. He looked up from behind his hand and he saw his father standing ever so proudly over him like a tyrant. Never has his parents struck him, even if he broke the rules they made for him, but this was entirely different. They were his parents, and they were the ones who are supposed to support your no matter what.  
  
"Stand up," his father hissed, but Jun refused to do as he said. "I said, stand--"  
  
"I hate you all!" Jun screeched and got up. He had a head start towards the door because he knew his words reached his parents' ears, but his father was a fast man when he was angry. Despite this, Jun continued to run: past the front door, past the front lawn, past his parents' expensive car, and past his mailbox until he couldn't hear his father screaming his name anymore. He finally stopped when he saw his best friend walking out of a convenience store. His friend's eyes widened with surprise, horror, and concern at the same time that Jun wanted to laugh if it weren't for his cheek throbbing painfully. They stood awkwardly far apart from each other until Masaki dropped the bags from his hands and ran towards him. Soon, he felt his friend's arms secure themselves around his body.  
  
"I'll take you home," Masaki whispered as he ran his hands up and down his back reassuringly. Jun nodded a small thanks and pressed his head against Masaki's warm chest...  
  
Since then, he's lived with Masaki that his parents became his, too. They pampered him, treated him like a real son and accepted his sexuality when he confessed after getting close to Masaki's family. But there was a problem that he couldn't overcome, even with Masaki's help: when Masaki looked away, Jun would stare at his friend and dirty thoughts made it's way to his head. He quickly shook them away, hating how he's such a disgusting person after all. It wasn't like Masaki was ever going to return his feelings back...  
  
However, one night couldn't get himself to sleep at all because he felt butterflies in his stomach for tomorrow's school play. He headed to his friend's room, hoping that he was still awake, but Masaki was deep asleep. He wanted to wake him up, but seeing how peaceful his friend's face was stopped him. Just as he was about to leave for his own room, he heard rustling behind him and something falling on the floor. Curiously, he turned around and he wished he hadn't. He saw Masaki's naked body under the moonlight that beamed through his window. Jun gulped and made a ran towards the bathroom and locked himself in there for an hour, masturbating to the thought of his friend's body as he moaned his name. When he finished, however, he opened the door and saw his shocked best friend, fully clothed, standing in front of him.  
  
"Masaki, it's not what it looks like... I--"  
  
When he thought that Masaki was going to push him away and call him a disgusting cretin, instead his best friend grabbed his neck and pulled him forwards. Their lips met in a hard crash and Masaki moved against him as if he's been wanting this for a long time. Jun, however, was too shocked to register what was going on until he felt his back hit Masaki's bed. He stared up into his friend's eyes and he could see himself and a hint of lust in his eyes.  
  
"Touch me like you did yourself," Masaki breathed against his neck as he grabbed his hands and guided him. Jun's eyes widened when he felt his friend's hard penis against his palm. "Make me feel good." He nodded his head submissively as he was unable to think of anything else. Gulping, he slid down and took Masaki’s hard length into his mouth...  
  
0.  
  
He stared at the couple in shock as they pecked each other's lips so lovingly in front of him. So he was right about them earlier, that they were in a relationship. He smiled at the thought, and only wished them nothing but happiness.  
  
"Keep up the good work," the manager said as he swiped his tongue across his lips.  
  
"You too," the bartender giggled and began to start cleaning. Unfortunately, he had to clean up the mess the woman made as she angrily stormed out of the bar. He glanced over his shoulder and he saw that the playboy was soaking wet.  
  
3.  
  
Every night, his father brought in a different woman and he was always fooled into thinking that one of them might be his mother. Every night, he closed his ears to block out the sounds coming from the room besides his and he cried himself to sleep when the sounds stopped. Every night, he wished that he had a normal family with a happy mom and siblings. But it never happened since his father was a stubborn man who did nothing but gamble his money away, and spend the rest on prostitutes. He hated his father, and his unknown mother for leaving him to a corrupt man.  
  
All he wanted was for his father to take him out to the park, like he used to before his coworkers got him into gambling. But every time he asked, his father would just ignore him, or push him away so harshly that he would hit a furniture. His teachers and his classmates thought that he was being abused at home that all they could do was pity, yet they did nothing even if that was the case. He tried to run away one night to his favorite fifth grade teacher's home one night, but his own teacher betrayed him by bringing him back home in the middle of the night while he was still asleep. Since then, he really couldn't trust anybody.  
  
By the time he turned 16, it was the very same day his father died for reasons he did not know of. But when he heard of his father's death, relief washed over him. Despite the unexpected freedom, however, he didn't have a home to go to anymore. By the second day after his father's death, he was admitted into an orphanage because he didn't have any relatives to take care of him; even if he did, no one would want him. At least, he didn't have to hear the sounds his father made at night anymore.  
  
He gave up going to school, thinking that he didn't need it anymore since he saw that there was no future for him in the first place; and it's not like he had a parent to force him to go back to school. That was when he met him. He was coming home from the arcade, tired and broke, having nothing better to do in his life anymore. He passed by countless buildings, houses, and happy families that all he wanted to do to them was throw a huge boulder on their happy faces, but all he could do was watch with envy... It was getting dark by the time he neared the orphanage, and he tried to walk faster. The area he was walking on at the moment had a reputation for having strong crimes at night, and he didn't want to get involved. Unfortunately, a group of gang advanced towards him, but they didn't get further when he heard ear ringing gunshots. He stared wide eyed when he saw a man emerging from the darkness.  
  
"I've seen you walk these streets," the man told him, a smirk on his scared face. "Do you live in that orphanage?"  
  
He nodded his head out of fear as he eyed the black gun in the man's hand.  
  
The man smirked. “I knew your old man. He owed me and my buddies money so he offered you to us.”  
  
“W-what?”  
  
“I’ve already “adopted” you so come with me.”  
  
“I don’t want to,” he trembled. Why was he so afraid now when he had all the chance to a long time ago when his father was still alive.  
  
“Come, or I’ll shoot your pretty hand.”  
  
“I--”  
  
The man cocked his gun. He stared at it for a while, wondering if he should follow the man or run for his life. But then his life at the orphanage was boring and he wanted out the first day he was admitted.  
  
“You going or not?” The man grumbled impatiently and poked him with the gun.  
  
“I’m going,” he finally decided. “Just don’t shoot me.”  
  
“I wasn’t going to anyway,” the man laughed evilly. “We need that pretty little body of yours.”  
  
0.  
  
He sighed as he watched the playboy from afar. Although at first he disapproved of the playboy, he noticed that the man was only acting… but for who? No longer did the playboy have that mischief look in his eyes and was instead replaced by greater sadness. The man sulked as he walked out of the booth and took a seat at the bar as well.  
  
“Give me something strong,” the man sighed depressingly as he laid his head on the counter.  
  
“Just one drink,” the bartender warned. “You know how you are with alcohol, Nino.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Just give it to me.”  
  
4.  
  
Despite finally ending up together in a relationship with his best friend, he was still unhappy. After he and Jun graduated community college, he was still undecided and seriously had no idea what to pursue for his career. He tried calligraphy, nursing, culinary, acting, photography, and anything else that the community college offered in a span of two years, but nothing worked out. He wasn’t fit for any of those fields at all.  
  
“What am I gonna do?” He wailed desperately one day as he lied down besides Jun on their bed.  
  
“Masaki, don’t worry about it. You’re still young and you will find what you want to do.”  
  
He pouted. “But what if I never find it? What if the only thing I could do is jump from one part-time job to the next?”  
  
“I promise you’ll find it,” Jun assured him. “Everybody is given a chance to.”  
  
“Okay… but we should go out and celebrate because you’ve gotten into Todai.”  
  
“No, it’s--”  
  
He interrupted Jun. He knew how guilty Jun felt when Jun had gotten into Todai but he didn’t. Of course, he suspected what would happen but it didn’t give him an excuse to be jealous towards Jun. In fact, he was happy for him because he found out what he wanted to do as a career, which was to own his own business.  
  
“Fine, let’s go,” Jun finally gave in. “But no getting drunk tonight.”  
  
“Yay!” He shouted as he sat up and pulled Jun out of the bed. “Drinking party!”  
  
He and Jun went to their usual hangout, which was a small bar somewhere in Tokyo. It wasn’t that well known so there were only a few people tonight. They took their usual spot at the booth to have more privacy and ordered a plate of hot wings and a pint of asahi beer.  
  
“I feel bad for this place,” Jun said as they looked around. “This used to be a great place to hang out in, but it’s deserted now.”  
  
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I wonder what happened.”  
  
They order finally came in and he couldn’t want to dig into the hot wings. However, he stopped when he overheard the people from the next book talking about how this bar was going to close down soon.  
  
“You hear that?” he asked Jun. “I can’t believe that it’s gonna close down.”  
  
“Yeah, me too… It’s been here for almost ten years and now…”  
  
“I blame technology,” he said. “If we didn’t have to rely on technology so much, great places like this shouldn’t be closed down. I mean, who is going to listen to other people’s worry and make their life easier (even if it means to drink it down).”  
  
“... I have an idea.”  
  
“Oh,” he turned his head towards Jun. “What is it?”  
  
“Why don’t you and I own this bar.”  
  
“W-what?”  
  
“I know it’s gonna take a while, but I’ll ask whoever owns this building to reserve it for us. This will be a great place for you and I to start our own business.”  
  
“But Jun… I don’t know. I don’t even know how I will help you with that.”  
  
“Didn’t you learn how to be a bartender three years ago?”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
“You were amazing at it, Masaki. Imagine creating a change in this century. I’m sure with your charisma, you’d be able to attract people to this place and make it popular like before.”  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“I am. I’ve seen you do it before and don’t people always come back?”  
  
“Yeah…” he mumbled, recalling the time he leant an ear to students at the community college he and Jun attended. He seriously had no idea what he was doing then other than lending an ear and giving out an advice here and there, but it suddenly turned into some regular thing when people started to request for his company at the cafeteria. “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”  
  
Jun grinned. “Okay, good. We’ll make this bar ours because it is our special place.”  
  
“Yeah,” Aiba grinned back at him. He was surprised when Jun grabbed his chin and pulled him in for a kiss.  
  
“We’ll make it big.”  
  
0.  
  
“You’re so lucky,” the told the bartender as he watched him practice making some drink he forgot the name to.  
  
“How so?”  
  
“You could do whatever you want, and you’re not under control of someone.”  
  
The bartender stopped what he was doing and grimaced. “Is there something you want to talk about?”  
  
  
He sighed. “Yeah, but it’s probably not important.”  
  
“Yes it is. It’s my obligation to listen to my customers after all.”  
  
5.  
  
It might seem perfect, but it only seemed that way to people who didn’t know what was happening in the background. His father was a businessman who retired long ago (he passed on his business onto his eldest son) due to health issues, but that didn’t stop him. To him and his siblings, their father was like a dictator who wanted nothing but perfectness and for everyone to follow his every single rule. As the eldest son, however, he had to follow his rules no matter what, but there was that tiny voice in his head that kept telling him to drop everything and leave. He couldn’t, though because he was about to have another child and he didn’t want to drag along his wife and child along with him. Instead, he decided long ago that he should stay for their sake and pretend that all was well. If he listened to his father and live that perfect life his father wanted for him, then all will be well.  
  
Yet it wasn’t. When he overheard his employees talking about a small unknown bar in Tokyo and how the atmosphere was relaxing and the bartender listened to everyone’s problems, he found himself going to that bar.  
  
0.  
  
He watched the drunken former artist mumble to himself as he gulped down another bottle of beer. He saw the playboy staring at his drink distantly as if he was remembering something that made his sadness greater. He watched the bartender in amazement as he practiced making drinks. He saw the bar manager from time to time come out from the back to check the bar but it was only to see if the bartender was doing fine. Then there he was, drinking his stress away with good ol’ whiskey.  
  
“So, you’ve all come here for a reason,” the bartender began as the last customer left and all five of them were the only ones at the bar.  
  
“Yeah,” Sho said after taking a gulp of his whiskey. “I’m Sakurai Sho, by the way.”  
  
The bartender grinned widely. “He’s Ninomiya Kazunari and you already know Oh-chan. The grumpy manager is Matsumoto Jun and I’m Aiba Masaki. Nice to meet you.”  
  
“Nice to meet you too,” Sho smiled back.  
  
“Now, about your issues…”  
  
1.  
  
Ohno listened to the bartender and the man who were conversing so avidly not far away from him. He could tell that they were getting along well and Ohno wondered if he should be friends with that man. After all, Aiba made great friends and often suggested that he should start making friends as well. Sighing loudly, he pushed the bottles away and took a seat closer to the man talking to Aiba.  
  
“Hiya,” he slurred at the man, noticing how formal he looked in his business suit.  
  
“Hello!” the man smiled widely. “I’ve seen your art works from the past and I loved them. In fact, I have one of your art work hanging in my home.”  
  
“Oh. Reually?” he grinned, glad that someone still recognized him after so many years. “Shasnks…”  
  
“I’m Sakurai Sho,” the man introduced himself. “It’s nice to meet you, Ohno-san.”  
  
“Nice… meet yoouhh tooo,” Ohno grinned. “Let’s beh fraunds.”  
  
“Oh-chan, you’re so drunk,” Aiba laughed. “You probably might not remember this by tomorrow.”  
  
“Whatevah!” he exclaimed as he threw his arm wildly in the air.  
  
“But that’s good. It’s about time you start making friends.”  
  
3.  
  
That old drunken man kept making so much noise, but Nino didn’t mind. He needed anyone’s company to make him forget about his next job tomorrow. He moved closer to the two other men near the back door and said nothing to make his presence known. However, Aiba noticed him right away and even asked him to join their conversation.  
  
“Alright, I will,” he rolled his eyes as he introduced himself to the man in the business suit and the drunken man. They weren’t bad people, he thought. So he decided to join the conversation as well and found himself enjoying their company.  
  
4.  
  
Aiba laughed as he listened to his customer’s stories. They all had interesting things to say and it was as if they were already friends in another life. He felt as if they were meant to be friends and that this very bar that he and Jun finally owned was destiny. He was really glad that he ended up following his and Jun’s dream of owning a bar, and now he was content with his life. All that was left for him was to give his advice to the many customers that came in night after night and because of that, the bar became popular just as Jun had predicted. Aiba couldn’t be more than happy to here right now with Jun and his new friends.  
  
2.  
  
Jun clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was trying to sort out a few things at the back for the bar, but it was so loud outside that he had to come out to see what it was. He saw his boyfriend, speaking so enthusiastically to a group of men sitting across him and they all looked somewhat relaxed. Aiba always had that ability to make people relax, which is why he was glad that he and Aiba ended up owning this bar.  
  
“Let me join,” Jun said as he walked from behind the bar and took the seat besides a man dressed in a business suit. “This looks fun.”  
  
“JunJun, this man here is Sakurai Sho,” he gestured to the man in a business suit. “You already know the other two so no introduction needed.”  
  
Jun growled. “Don’t call me JunJun.”  
  
“But it’s cute!” Aiba grinned. “And I’m glad you came out of that hole. I was about to drag you out myself. Now, where was I…”  
  
0.  
  
They all exchanged phone numbers -- except Ohno who was asleep and Jun had to give Ohno’s number instead. After they finally got to know each other and their stories, it was about time to leave.  
  
“Until next time,” Aiba bid his farewell as Sho, Ohno, and Nino walked out of the bar together. “And we should hang out some other time!” He added in before the entrance to the bar swung close.  
  
1.  
  
Ohno listened to the conversation he had with his newly made friends. He learned of all their stories and how they ended up where they are now, but he knew that he will end up forgetting it all tomorrow because he got himself drunk. But after listening to their stories, he made a decision. It was going to be a hard decision, probably the hardest that he ever made after deciding to quit being an artist, but he was going to do it.  
  
Once he was finally home, thanks to Sho and Nino who walked him, he immediately went upstairs to where his wife was sleeping. She woke up right away when she heard him fall into the room and she sat up on the bed looking as annoyed and angry as ever.  
  
“You went out drinking again?!” She shrieked. “Think about your kid. How would your son react to this?”  
  
“Doesn’t matter,” Ohno mumbled. He was starting to gain his senses, but he was still light on his feet. “I decided.”  
  
She snapped. “On what?”  
  
“To divorce.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I want to be an artist again.”  
  
“Satoshi, what about--”  
  
“I don’t care,” he growled. “I realized… I was happier before you came… I shouldn’t have fallen in love.”  
  
“...”  
  
“I’m gonna sleep on the couch,” he announced when he realized that his wife wasn’t going to say anything more. “It’s been nice knowing you.”  
  
3.  
  
It’s been twenty years already and it was almost time that his second contract with the debtors were over. He grew tired of selling his body in order to pay back for his father’s debt and he wanted to go out there and do his own thing like Aiba and find something he wanted to do like Ohno.  
  
“I think I’m gonna quit tomorrow,” he told Sho as they walked along the sidewalk. They had just dropped off Ohno at his home and they weren’t that far from where he lived; Sho offered to drop him off.  
  
“Really?” Sho gasped in surprise. “From what you said, aren’t they gonna kill you?”  
  
Nino smirked. “They can’t kill me. I was the best at my job and I made them money. Besides, I was supposed to be done a long time ago.”  
  
“What do you mean by that?”  
  
“I couldn’t find anything to do, so I decided to stay. But after meeting you and talking to the guys, it’s given me new light.”  
  
“That’s good to hear! I bet Aiba-san would love to hear that.”  
  
“Oh, he would,” Nino chuckled. “But you know, you should do something about your issue as well.”  
  
Sho sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I should.”  
  
“Well this is my street,” Nino announced as he and Sho came to a stop. “See you around, Sakurai-san.”  
  
5.  
  
He thought about what Aiba, Jun, Ohno, and Nino told him that he should learn how to stand up to his father, even if it meant that someone would get hurt. If things became worse, however, he had enough money earned to move out of the Sakurai mansion and live with his own family, even if it meant becoming jobless. But this is what he wanted, to earn his own freedom and not have his father control him anymore. Besides, he’s capable of doing things himself and doesn’t need his father anymore.  
  
As soon as he got back home, however, he was greeted by none other than his own father. He stared at him in fear, realizing that he still smelt like alcohol and tobacco. He immediately shrank back when his father stomped towards him with an angry glare.  
  
“You go out in the middle of the damn night, not caring about your wife and child! That is not being a perfect father!”  
  
Sho closed his eyes as his breathing became erratic. His newly friends’ words rang in his head like a reminder that he shouldn’t be afraid.  
  
“What if there was an emergency?!” his father yelled. “You wouldn’t have known because you turned off your phone, didn’t you?!”  
  
“I--”  
  
“You are a disgrace!” His father bellowed. “No proper man goes out late at night to drink and--”  
  
“I had enough!” Sho finally yelled and stood up straight in front his father. “I don’t want to be bossed around anymore by you. I’m an adult and I can take care of myself.”  
  
“Why, you--”  
  
“And I quit. Pass the job onto Mai or Shunnuske.”  
  
“Sho--”  
  
“I’m moving out tomorrow with my family. Away from you and your dictatorship. I’ve had enough.”  
  
He stormed off, ignoring his father’s angry calls. Finally, he’s done what he’s been wanting to do. So what if he lost the most important position as CEO in his father’s company. Besides, his wife had been telling him all along that she would support him no matter what. All that mattered was picking up after himself and creating a better future for himself and his wife. The stress and tension that built up inside him were gone once he saw the look of relief on his wife’s face as he entered their bedroom.  
  
3 & 4.  
  
“I knew you had it in you,” Jun grinned as he pulled Aiba into an embrace. “You made this place popular and you might have possibly changed those guys lives for the greater good. You’re amazing, Masaki.”  
  
Aiba giggled. “I know, but it’s possible because we made it happen together.”  
  
“I love you,” Jun whispered and kissed Aiba’s lips.  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
0.  
  
Life was what happened. After the three men decided to change their life, they realized that they all had one thing in common that was pulling them down: their inability to move on to another path. If only the five of them had met sooner, life would have been easier for the three of them.  
  
Five years later, they finally came together again coincidentally on the day they all became friends. For those five years, they kept in contact, keeping up with each other and realizing their happiness. Five years later, they could say life was good. Sho had a great job as an entertainment CEO. Nino worked under Sho after realizing his talent for the musical arts; even Ohno who was now recognized as the great artist of his time. Both Jun and Aiba had adopted a child and now owned three bars across Tokyo.  
  
It was all thanks to that one fateful night. That one night where their life had changed.


End file.
